Today's Edition
KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Camel Racing Club, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum honoured the winners on the ninth day of Al Marmoom Heritage Festival, presenting the four prestigious trophies in the Thanaiya category for camels owned by Sheikhs and Excellencies.
The weather remained fair to partly cloudy, providing a fascinating atmosphere for both the spectators and the camels, but the animals were most benefited and it showed in some strong performances.
Races in the afternoon session over 8km, featuring 12 laps and 178 runners, saw strong competition among the major stables, with Al Shehaniya, Zabeel and Presidential teams sharing top honours.
Al Shehaniya dominated the opening exchanges as trainer Salim Al Marri secured a double. “Seyadah” claimed the first lap, the Open Thanaiya Abkar, winning the late Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s trophy along with Dh500,000 in a time of 12 minutes, 0.02 seconds. The same trainer followed up in the second category, the Open Thanaiya Jeadan, where “Mukafih” delivered victory in 12:06.08 to take a trophy rifle and Dh400,000 prize.
Zabeel Camels responded in the third one, Local Thanaiya Abkar, as “Al Saiha”, under trainer Rashid Maroushid, produced the fastest winning time of the four feature races in 11:55.09 to secure another trophy and Dh500,000.
The fourth lot – Local Thanaiya Jeadan – went to the Presidential team, with trainer Hamdan Maroushid guiding “Hamloul” to victory in 12:06.08, earning the rifle and Dh400,000.
Earlier in the morning session, which comprised 14 laps over the same distance, Al Shehaniya and Presidential teams shared the top honours, although no silverware was on offer and prize money ranged between Dh150,000 and Dh180,000 per race.
Al Shehaniya set the tone by taking the first three key races. Jar Allah Al Nabit opened with victory in the Thanaiya Abkar category through “Al Doha” in 12:07.00, before Salim Faran added two more wins with “Nasi” (12:10.07) and “Ghazlan” (12:09.04).
The Presidential team secured the fourth main race as “Nashwa”, trained by Sultan Al Wehaibi, won in 12:08.05. The standout performance of the morning came in the eighth lap, where Al Shehaniya’s “Ashqar”, again under Salim Faran, recorded the best time of the session at 12:03.05.
